State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.

This week, I delivered my third State of the State address to the people of Wisconsin. I’m happy to say we are moving Wisconsin forward with bold vision and bright hope for the future.

When I delivered my first address, I had just taken office, and we were facing monumental challenges–including a $3.6 billion budget deficit and 7.8% unemployment. We made tough, but prudent choices and vowed to remain focused on what’s best for future generations.

One year later, we were turning things around. After balancing the budget and putting in place long-term structural reforms, we worked hard to identify the needs of job creators, to help put people back to work. Property taxes on a median valued home went down for the first time in 12 years. We even added money to the state’s rainy day fund.

Today, we have a $342 million dollar budget surplus. For the first time in history, we added money to the rainy day fund in two consecutive years. And property taxes – are down again this year on a median valued home. As for the unemployment, rate it’s down to 6.7%.

Our accomplishments of the past couple of years allow us to now invest in our priorities – which are:

·creating jobs

·developing the workforce

·transforming education

·reforming government; and

·investing in our infrastructure.

I’ll talk more about these priorities in my budget address next month. But looking back on how far we’ve come as a state in the past year, I am very optimistic about what is yet to come.

We are moving with bold vision and bright hope for the future of Wisconsin.

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